Amnesty International to Highlight Local Human Rights Issues at Annual Conference in Chicago

CHICAGO—On April 4-6 at the JW Marriott (151 W Adams St), hundreds of activists will gather for Amnesty International’s annual Human Rights Conference to focus on strengthening links between the local and the global aspects of the human rights movement. Media who wish to attend must RSVP by Wednesday, April 2 at 6:00pm EST, indicating which events you wish to cover and names or roles of your representatives. Check-in for the news conference Friday and media registration will begin at 9:45 a.m. Individual interview availabilities can be made available upon request. Noteworthy items on the agenda include:

•News conference at the Marriott at 10:30am on Friday, April 4 including Amnesty International USA Executive Director Steven W. Hawkins, Board Chair Ann Burroughs, Chicago torture survivor Darrell Cannon and Egyptian human rights defender Magda Adly. The father of murdered Chicago teen Hadiya Pendleton and Jr. Newtown Action Alliance chairwoman Sarah Clements, who is due to be honored in a White House ceremony Thursday for her work against gun violence.

•March from the Marriott to Daley Plaza and action at 12:00pm on Friday, April 4 to raise awareness about survivors of torture in Chicago and demand reparations.

•Glenn Greenwald joins the conference on Saturday, April 5 via video link from Brazil for a discussion about the U.S. government's use of mass surveillance, as well as its persecution of whistleblowers who seek to tell the truth about human rights violations.

•Panel on accountability for torture in Chicago, the United States and around the world at 11:15am on Saturday, April 5 featuring Darrell Cannon, United States Air Force veteran Tony Camerino, who personally conducted or supervised more than 1,300 interrogations, and Curt Goering, executive director of the Center for Victims of Torture.

•Congressman Danny Davis will address the conference on Saturday, April 5.

•LGBT Rights are Human Rights: Sunday, April 6 at 11:15 a.m.

Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 3 million members in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.

Sign Up

Get updates on Amnesty's work to protect human rights in the Americas.

Act Now

Oman: Saeed Jaddad Sentenced to Jail and Fine (UA 318/14)

Omani prisoner of conscience Saeed Jaddad was sentenced on 31 March to one year in prison and a fine. He had been charged under Oman’s Cyber Crimes Law. He is also serving a three-year sentence on charges related to his calls for political and social reforms.